Home / English Column / Environment Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read
China Suffers Great Losses from Desertification
Adjust font size:
Chinese experts estimate that desertification in the country is annually causing a direct loss of 64.2 billion yuan ( some US$7.73 billion) with indirect economic losses of 288.9 billion yuan (US$34.8 billion).

The direct losses are mainly from the loss or decrease in soil productivity caused by wind and water erosion, being frozen-and-melted, and saline and alkaline soil, said Lu Qi, researcher with China Research and Development Center for Prevention and Control on Desertification.

The indirect losses came from suspension of communication and transportation, villages being buried, delay or canceling of flights and reduction in the life of irrigation works, which are heavily affected by desertification.

Investigations show that China has 2.62 million square kilometers of areas under desertification, double the total farmland in the country.

"We should take more effective measures to control the desertification," said Lu.

(Xinhua News Agency June 17, 2003)

Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read

Related Stories
Xinjiang Research Shows Desertification Dropping
Gansu Encourages Overseas Organization to Participate in Desertification Control
Cross Border Focus on Dust Storms
China Plans to Curb Desertification by 2010
Harbin Threatened by Desertification
 
SiteMap | About Us | RSS | Newsletter | Feedback
SEARCH THIS SITE
Copyright © China.org.cn. All Rights Reserved E-mail: webmaster@china.org.cn Tel: 86-10-88828000 京ICP证 040089号